Revalidation of Deck certificates of competency

Get your Deck certificate of competency revalidated before it expires.

If you hold a Deck certificate of competency you should apply to us to revalidate your certificate before it expires, if it has not been suspended or revoked. Whether your certificate is valid, or has expired, the revalidation requirements are the same.

You must complete a sea service and course component to revalidate your certificate.

Application forms

Click on the relevant link to go to the application form for revalidating each deck certificate of competency:

Continued competence courses

Australia is a party to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). Under this convention, we comply with the standards required in STCW A-1/11. These standards require all seafarers to demonstrate continued professional competence in safety of life at sea and security. Completion of these courses is commonly known as a demonstration of continued competence.

Medical course component

Under the standards in the STCW, there is no requirement for revalidation of first aid, medical first aid, and medical care certificates. However Maritime Labour Convention 2006, Regulation 4.1, Guideline B4.1 Medical care on board ship and ashore states:

3. Persons referred to in paragraph 1 of this guideline and any such other seafarers as may be required by the competent authority should undergo, at approximately five-year intervals, refresher courses to enable them to maintain and increase their knowledge and skills and to keep up-to-date with new developments.

In view of this guideline, maritime shipping companies should determine whether it is necessary for their seafarers to maintain currency of their course-associated medical certificates.

Revalidating from overseas

If you hold of a Deck certificate of competency and live overseas, your qualifications may be recognised. You must meet sea service requirements, but we will accept refresher training conducted with an administration we have an agreement with.

Recognition of an equivalent function

We do recognise some equivalent functions if you work in the below occupations:

Technical, engineering, and marine superintendents

Surveyors (i.e. inspectors) appointed under the Navigation Act 2012 (the Act) or working for a recognised organisation as defined by the Act

Lecturers in AMSA approved Registered training organisations.

To be assessed for the above you will need to lodge a Seafarer form 419[17] along with proof of at least 2 and a half years’ service in the five years immediately preceding application. This service must have been completed in the type of positions identified above from a non-seagoing sector of the maritime industry. We will require a statement from the employer organisation, written on company letterhead paper which demonstrates that you have maintained your professional competence and you will be capable of exercising the full capacity, function levels and limitations applying to your certificate. When preparing the statement, reference should be made to the criteria outlining the revalidation course for Deck officers. You can find this criteria in the syllabus document[18].

In our assessment of the submission for full revalidation, we will consider whether a full or partial revalidation training course is required.

All revalidation course completions, where applicable, must be completed within 5 years of application.

You may be required to complete the full Certificate of proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats and Advanced fire fighting depending on your employment history.

If you hold a Deck certificate of competency we will accept a combination of either Part A (eg shipmaster's medical, legislation, stability and cargo work etc) or Part B (eg BRM, passage planning, navigational equipment etc) revalidation courses and a written statement on company letterhead paper from your employer covering the other competencies required for the Deck officers revalidation course.

Acceptance of sea service completed on tugs

Tugs operating outside port limits

If you have sea service on tugs which operate outside port limits the normal revalidation process applies. Please see the relevant qualification.

Harbour tug

If you have at least 2 and a half years of sea service in the last 5 years immediately preceding the application as a Harbour tug Master or Mate employed in Australian ports only, we will accept this time as meeting the qualifying sea service requirement to revalidate your Deck certificate of competency. Tug masters and Mates will still need to complete continued competence in Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats and Advanced fire fighting, and also hold a security awareness endorsement. The certificate of competency will be restricted to use within the port limits where the tug operates, unless you hold a valid Global maritime distress and safety systems (GMDSS) radio operator’s certificate[15].

Revalidate as a port or coastal pilot

These options do not apply to holders of a Certificate of recognition or Restricted certificate of recognition.

Port pilots restricted to an Australian port

If you are a port pilot working in Australian ports only and you have at least 2½ years’ service in the 5 years immediately preceding your revalidation application, we will accept that service as meeting the qualifying sea service requirement to revalidate your Deck certificate of competency. The supporting letter confirming 2½ years pilotage service in the past 5 years, which is to be provided by the your employer, should also highlight the safety training (such as man over board drills) that you participated in during this period.

Please note that your revalidated Certificate of competency would have a restriction which would allow you to work only within 12 mile radius to seaward of the port limits where you are a licenced pilot.

Required courses

You will also need to complete the approved two day continued competence course in Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats and Advanced fire fighting.

If you are a port pilot you will not be required to hold either a valid Australian GMDSS radio operator’s certificate or Australian GMDSS certificate of recognition.

Additional certificates

You will need to hold the following valid certificates:

Certificate of medical fitness

Security awareness training endorsement.

Removing restrictions

You can remove the restriction at any time by revalidating your certificate in full. If you are a port or coastal pilot serving in Australian ports or employed in the compulsory pilotage areas of the Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef, you can gain a full revalidation which has no restrictions. To gain full revalidation, you must have at least 2½ years’ service in the 5 years immediately preceding your revalidation application. We will accept that service as meeting the competencies of Part B revalidation course (eg Bridge Resource Management, passage planning, navigational equipment etc). To be elegible for a full revalidation you would need to satisfy one of the following options:

Complete Part A revalidation course at an approved training provider[19] (eg shipmasters medical, legislation, stability and cargo work, etc), and full courses in Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats and Advanced fire fighting within the preceding 5 years.

Complete an approved Advanced pilots’ development course and full courses in Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast recue boats and Advanced fire fighting within the preceding 5 years including appropriate deck revalidation course components.